Everyday Urban Sunday Seven: #3
About a year ago I (Jennifer) took a test with my coworkers… the test was titled “How Basic Are You?” (in case you’re curious about your own basic status, take the quiz HERE). I started answering questions like “you have an astrological sign tattoo" and “you’ve blamed bad things on mercury being in retrograde” (umm NO!) OR “you have an inspirational quotes Pinterest board” (gag!) and “you love vodka sodas because of the lack of calories” (worst drink ever, I think we can ALL agree… scotch please!)
I was feeling pretty good about myself. But then I came upon this series of questions: “you love Taylor Swift” “you identify with the song 22” and “you identify with the song 22 even though you are not 22” … uh oh.. I have to answer YES!
And then another kicker - “You Love Pumpkin Spice”……Ohhhh come on!!! That’s just called being HUMANNNNNN!!!
Anyways, turns out I’m a little bit Basic… and I’m ok with that because I’m feeling 22 (even though I’m 31) and yes, I would like “one of EVERY FALL THING, please!” (as I told the person working at Trader Joe’s this past week).
Unsurprisingly then, several of our favorite things this week happen to coincide with our favorite parts of Fall!
Check it out, and we hope you enjoy!
1) Nimbus 2000: CInnamon Edition!
Ok… actually I have to admit that this is a muggle broomstick. No flying. No quidditch. But our entryway smells like cinnamon and that, my friends, is magic in my book! Plus, when I put up all my spooky stuff, this broomstick will fit right in! I picked one up from Trader Joe’s this week, but you can usually find them at home stores or craft stores as well. Amazon and Walmart also both sell cinnamon broomsticks that can fly or apparate straight to your door!
2) Halloween Costume Ideas we LOVE
I can’t give away what Daniel and I are planning to do for Halloween, but I CAN pass along some of the most fun and funny costume ideas I’ve seen thus far!
Funny:
-Toni and Candace from Women and Women First (Portlandia): Not only is this a HILARIOUS costume on its own, but also, you will have so much fun getting into character throughout the evening.
-Burt Macklin and Widow (Parks and Rec): Because it’s both funny and adorable!
Scary:
Sugar Skull Face Painting: I’ve always wanted to do this, but I’m not sure I have the face painting skills. Absolutely beautiful, and just the right amount of scary!
Skeleton Face Painting: Another one that I would love to do someday… I’d love to wear an epic gown with this… like part gorgeous, part terrifying
3) Inspiration for Your Halloween Party!
While we’re sad that Stranger Things Season Three won’t be coming out this Fall, there’s really never a wrong time to have an Upside Down themed Halloween party! Check out our post about the Stranger Things Party we threw last year for some ideas including a fun eggo waffle inspired cocktail!
4) Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread That You Can’t Stay Away From
This morning I got the itch to bake all the pumpkin things, and this Chocolate Chip Pumpkin bread is one of my go-to recipes! BE WARNED: you will want to eat the whole loaf in one sitting. If you have any hopes of restraining yourself you will need to call in reinforcements BEFORE the first bite. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
5) Fall and Halloween Decor Central
Leading up to Halloween there are a few essential items we like to decorate with. One thing we love having around is pumpkins and gourds. We always get ours from Adams and Sons- a local garden shop that is basically heaven on earth. You can typically also find fall wreaths, hay bales, and other autumnal decor here as well! Another thing we (ok… maybe i’ts just me!) love having around is a few spooky bits! The thing is, I don’t like to spend a lot of money on Halloween stuff. Target has so many fun decor options at really reasonable price points! Here are my favorites!!
6) A very Autumnal Street Festival!
If you live in Chicago, don’t miss the Lincoln Square Apple Fest! The festival will run on October 6th and 7th, so you can pick which day is most convenient for you! There will be live music, an apple pie bake-off, loads of vendors selling crafts, home goods, and food, and basically every apple thing you can imagine!
7) Our “Netflix and Chill” Essentials
Let’s be honest, one of the things we all look forward to during the Fall is getting back into watching a little bit of TV and/or being cozy around the house. Daniel and I are loving these pieces:
For Her
For Him
That’s it for this week!
With love from Chicago,
Jennifer + Daniel